Steering Wheel Shaking

[CrazySOB]

My steering wheel shakes for about 5- 10 seconds, then is fine for 10- 20 seconds, then shakes again for 5- 10 seconds. back and forth. I climbed underneath, I don't see anything. The car don't shake. Just the steering wheel. I have to be going at least 50mph <- est. speed. I let go of the steering wheel and the car is riding smooth. Does anyone know what could be wrong? Please.




------------------
Thanks, Steve

[Flormat]

Could be your wheels are out of balance, or one or more wheels are out of round. A bad rack could do that but would be notchy and loose feeling.

[CrazySOB]

I just got Brand new tires, that have just been balanced. Could they have messed up balancing them? They did it off the car on a electronic balance machine.

[Blackfoot]

even though they just did it, it sounds like imbalance. you could try going back and telling them, they may redo it free.

do you have a bent wheel?

if you have it balanced by another shop with same results, check suspension components like ball joint & bushings. i still say imbalance though.

[CrazySOB]

I don't think it's a bent wheel. It's the same wheels I had and they were fine. I'll check the balancing first.
Thanks for your replies, Steve

[944slide]

I one had the same problem, with new tires that were out of round. What brand and type of tire did you buy?

[CrazySOB]

BFGoodrich g-force t/a 225/50/zr16.

[CrazySOB]

bump

[Pilot_951S]

Sounds like an out of round tire, OR if you can find a shop with a Hunter GSP 9700 it should be able to pinpoint the problem and possibly correct it by matching the high spot on the tire with the low spot on the wheel.

[CrazySOB]

I'll have them check for roundness. since the steering wheel vibrates. Would that mean it's one of the front tires?

[Blackfoot]

if it is out of round and you have enough tread left, they may be able to shave it to balance.

[CrazySOB]

If it was out of round, wouldn't I feel it every time the tire rotated 360? I mean it drives fine 1/2 mile to a mile fine then the steering wheel starts to vibrate for a 1/4 to 1/2, then it goes back fine again for awhile. {distances are est. not actual.}

[Blackfoot]

yes, it means it's likely imbalance exists on both sides. when the phases are opposite, they cancel each other out and it feels smooth.

[CrazySOB]

gotcha, thanks

[CrazySOB]

Since the steering wheel vibrates, does that mean I should be looking at the front tires? I've been working messed up hours, so I won't be able to take it any where till the weekend if time permits.

[CrazySOB]

Just a thought. I just replaced my trans axle out to a lsd transaxle and I repacked, rebooted and flipped the cv joints. could that have anything to do with it?????

[justin]

if the vibration is coming from the front it shouldnt


------------------
Drive it like you stole it........Justin

[Cake944]

I really do not think that it is the tires being out of round. That was a problem in the past with bias ply, but manufacturing tolerances are so tight now a days. The steel belts also contributed to correcting this occurence. I might consider checking the steering linkage from the wheel to the rack, the steering rack and bushings. Good Luck.

[CrazySOB]

That's what I'm thinking too, Cake, Thanks

[CrazySOB]

Justin, the car doesn't shake at all, even when the steering wheel is vibrating.